Defer NEET MDS 2022: 2,500 interns ineligible if internship deadline not extended, say aspirants

NEW DELHI: Though extension of the internship deadline comes as a relief to medical aspirants, NEET MDS 2022 aspirants are still waiting for good news. The National Board of Examinations (NBE) has on Wednesday extended the deadline of internship completion for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test postgraduate or NEET PG 2022 to July 31. Following this, the dental students have been requesting an update on the eligibility criteria of NEET MDS 2022.

National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Master of Dental Surgery (NEET MDS) application edit window was closed on February 1, 2022. #postponeNEETMDS and #DeferNEETMDS2022 trends on social media.

Also read | NEET PG 2022: NBE extends internship deadline to July 31

The National Students Union of India (NSUI), Karnataka said, “With about 2500 candidate ineligible, it is 15% of total number of candidates who are supposed to appear for the exam. Disqualification of a large percentage of candidates because of late exam and late internship is pure injustice.”

Coming out in support of the medical aspirants, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor wrote on Twitter, “This is a reasonable demand. NEET PG exam was postponed for 2 months, but NEET MDS aspirants are in the same situation. Many interns are ineligible to appear for the exam as they needed to complete their internship by March 31. Best to conduct both MDS &PG exams at the same time.”

All India Dental Student Association said, “It's a long wait for #NEETMDS2022 aspirants. All eyes now see towards you sir Health minister Mansukh Mandviya with great hopes as 2500 non-eligible interns career stands in your hand with post intern situation.”

It's a long wait for #NEETMDS2022 aspirants
All eyes now see towards you sir @mansukhmandviya with great hopes as 2500 non eligible interns career stands in your hand with #postintern situation #DeferNEETMDS202 #DelayNEETMDS2022 #MDSFileSubmittedToMinistry#MinistryRespond pic.twitter.com/BACZqoF7Ag

— All India Dental Student Association/DENTODONTICS (@dentodontics) February 16, 2022

The NEET MDS 2022 aspirants in a letter to the Dental Council of India wrote, “Due to the Covid-19 situation, the current intern batch (2016) started internship very late, due to the delaying of their final year BDS university exams in most of the estates. Now they are ineligible to appear in NEET MDS as per the criteria mentioned by the NBE.”

As per the latest notice by the NBE, “The cut-off date for completion of internship for the purpose of eligibility for NEET-PG 2022 has been extended to 31.07.2022. The NEET-PG 2022 online application form is being updated accordingly and the changes in the application form will be effected by 18.02.2022 (3PM onwards),” the notice added.

The Supreme Court on February 8 asked medical aspirants to make a representation before the Centre seeking an extension of the May 31 deadline to complete the internship since they were in COVID duties in 2021.